Drifting
by xtinna
Summary: She would follow her brother to the end of the world. Which is why Anna agreed to help Charles aid the CIA. Their mission? Stop Shaw and the Hellfire Club's plan to start another World War. Too bad Anna wasn't prepared for the life changing outcome.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Heyo! I am relatively new to the Marvel universe so please, go easy on me! I have an idea of where I'll be going with this story and hopefully things work out.

Please, _please_, review. Anything from grammar mistakes, actual mistakes, or any constructive criticism! It would honestly mean a lot to me! Thanks for reading!

This is an introduction to the story. Background info, really.

* * *

Friends of the family were easily deceived; they all thought that Sharon Xavier was the perfect mother. The socialites of the New York scene admired her parenting skills, frequently crediting her with the Xavier children's excellent upbringing. It was very cliché: the widow of a wealthy well respected man, left alone to raise the children.

"_You are just amazing, Sharon! Taking care of these two all by yourself! Remarkable!" _

"_I don't know how you do it—bravo!" _

The servants of the Xavier Mansion held back their grimaces when they heard the compliments—if only they knew the truth about Sharon. It was well known throughout the mansion that Sharon seldom acknowledged her children. One the rare occasions that she would, her tone was cold.

On days that Sharon shied away from her friends, she spent time in her new bedroom. Soon after her husband's death, she moved her things to the other side of the mansion. The only souvenir she took with her was a large portrait of their wedding photo.

The maids secretly whispered behind closed doors about Sharon's drinking habits as they threw away empty bottles. Once their eyes adjusted to the dark bedroom, their lips would curl with disdain. The pungent stench of alcohol mixed with vomit was a familiar scent to their nose. Oblivious to them, Sharon would be found sleeping on the left side of the bed, hugging a pillow and a hand clenched around the neck of a bottle.

To be fair, she had a lot to be upset about. Her husband—Brian Xavier—was a well-respected nuclear scientist who had unexpectedly passed in an accident. He left her everything: the mansion, his wealth, and most importantly—their children. Two weeks went by before Sharon came out of hiding.

Their father's death took a different toll on the Xavier children. Despite his work hours, he showed more affection to them than his wife did. The three of them would spend quality time together in his study. He had a love for chess and taught Charles how to play at a young age. They would go over strategies and techniques for any possible situation. It wasn't long before Charles easily beat his father at the game.

Anna, despite her desire to spend time with her father and brother, never understood the game. She pouted from her seat next to Brian whenever the two played. When he wasn't playing chess with his son, Brian taught Anna how to read, write, and draw. Brian and Anna were always the last to leave the study at night after spending hours reading together.

When he died, Charles insisted on continuing to play chess with anyone who would agree to it. He felt like it was something he had to do—a way to honor his late father. It was a common occurrence to see the remaining Xavier male roam around the mansion, balancing the pieces on the chessboard, asking the servants to play with him. Adjusting to their father's sudden death was harder for Anna; unlike Charles, it took her a few months to step back into the study. Emily, their nanny, encouraged her to continue reading—something Anna was hesitant to do since the accident. Once she found the courage to be in the room, she and Charles spent more time in there than they did outside.

Kurt Marko came into their lives as unexpectedly as Brian's death. He and Brian were friends in college and worked together after they graduated. He was a rare visitor to the mansion, only stopping by for a few hours when Brian had company parties. At the funeral, Kurt immediately latched onto Sharon—something people assumed to be for comfort. In a sense, he was a guiding light to Sharon—helping her at her darkest times and with her addiction to alcohol. Sharon was like a lovesick puppy and the two quickly married. It was less than a year since Brian Xavier's death.

It wasn't long until Kurt's personality changed for the worst. He began to neglect Sharon—something she absolutely loathed. When he wasn't ignoring her, he was yelling. Charles and Anna would avoid him, only interacting with him during dinner. Their stepfather was short with them, frequently yelling at them for no particular reason.

At a young age, Charles and Anna knew the obstacles their mother faced and quickly accepted it. It was easy for them because Sharon's neglect was present since the beginning. After her second marriage, she withdrew even more from her children because she couldn't stand the sight of them without becoming overwhelmed with emotions. Her cold demeanor was nothing new to them and they've learned to take her verbal attacks lightly.

* * *

Ten-year-old Anna tried to stifle her yawn as eleven-year-old Charles attempted, once again, to teach her how to play chess. Emily smiled fondly at the Xavier children; the scene was nothing new to her. After their father's death, Charles would approach the chefs, butlers, and maids to play with him. Unfortunately for him, the only one who would play with him was his sister.

"I don't get it!" Anna whined and fell back against the black leather sofa.

"It's not that difficult, you pea for brain!"

"You're mean! Daddy was always happy to teach me—"

"Well he's not here is he? So _shut up_!" Charles shouted angrily.

Emily looked up from her book with weary eyes. Charles stood up with wild eyes while Anna stared up at him with tears in her eyes. The siblings stared at each other before the younger of the two rushed out of the room. The girl's sobs echoed loudly through the halls.

"Charles!" Emily scolded.

He looked shameful of his actions, but he stubbornly turned his head to the side. Emily continued to stare at him with masked pity. The room was silent until Charles flipped the chessboard over. Blue eyes looked at the beige and brown chess pieces that scattered along the floor. After a silent moment, Charles mumbled an apology and cleaned up the mess.

* * *

The young girl slammed her door shut and fell onto the bed. Her sobs were held back, but her sniffles were loud and clear. Anna angrily wiped her tears away harshly with the back of her sleeves. She was angry at everything: her mother, Kurt, Charles, and her father. Since the accident, she and Charles promised each other to never mention his death. Perhaps it was their childish, naïve mind, but both thought of their father's passing as his vacation.

Anna had always admired Charles; he was a great big brother. Moments from their childhood had solidified her opinions of him. It wasn't until the accident that her heart swelled with appreciation for him.

She tried to be strong, really, she did. She didn't cry when she received the news. She didn't cry the days that led up to the funeral. She didn't cry at the funeral.

Why didn't she cry? Anna didn't want to; anger held her tears back. He promised her that he would be back later that night. He promised her that the two of them would read together and that he had a surprise for her. It was the night of the funeral when she finally cried.

Charles visited her in the middle of the night. His mind was plagued when Anna's thoughts as she cried. His new mind reading abilities allowed him to see what she was thinking about: their father. He was silent when he opened her bedroom door and slowly walked to her bed.

"Do you remember his favorite book?" he asked quietly.

The bed shifted for a moment as she made room for him. He pulled back the heavy comforter and situated himself beside his sister.

"What about it," she mumbled.

"He always quoted it, didn't he? '_To die would be an awfully big adventure_.' Well, that's it, isn't it? He wouldn't want us to be upset; he would want us to live normally and happily. I bet he's having a great time up in Heaven right now. Ice cream all time. Plus, mother wouldn't be there to stop him from eating."

Anna giggled and popped her head up from under the covers. The two shared a smile before reminiscing on their favorite memories of their late father.

Emily found the two of them the next morning; their hands were clenched tightly together and their faces were stained with tears. She smiled sadly at them and smoothed the hairs out of their faces before leaving the room.

* * *

"Psst! Charles! Are you awake?"

With one eye slightly opened, Charles could faintly make out the image of his sister's face. Her blonde hair was a mess, but her blue eyes were wide with alert. He groaned when he realized that it was the middle of the night. In her pajamas, Anna hovered over his sleeping form.

"Charles! I hear someone in the kitchens!"

He released an annoyed groan and rolled onto his stomach, "I don't care, Anna. It's probably one of the night maids."

"But Charles! It's one o'clock! You and I both know that the night maids return to their rooms at midnight! What if it's a bad person?"

He didn't have to read her mind to know what she wanted from him.

"Would you stop bugging me if I go?"

"Yes!"

Baseball bat in his hand, Anna trailed behind Charles as they silently crept to the kitchen. Charles grimaced when Anna's grip on his arm tightened. They nearly jumped when they heard a noise ahead of them. It wasn't long before they reached their destination; the sight confused them. In front of the refrigerator stood their mother.

'_But mother—' _Anna thought to Charles.

'_I know,' _he thought back.

The previous morning was a loud one. Kurt was off to another business meeting and was ready to go when Sharon demanded that he stayed. She was drunk and accused him of cheating on her during his trips. To say he was livid was an understatement. He grabbed her by the arm and shoved her into the closest room. Everyone in the mansion heard his loud, booming voice as he yelled at her. The servants remained nonchalant when he stomped out of the room red-faced and disheveled haired. A distraught Sharon has been cooped up in her bedroom since.

But there she was! Her hair was curled and makeup done perfectly. Dressed in her fancy red dress and pearl necklace, she looked like she was ready to head out to a party.

"Mother! We thought you were a burglar!" Charles exclaimed and walked toward her.

"Sorry darlings, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just getting a snack. Go back to bed." She leaned against the now closed refrigerator. She smiled pleasantly at the two of them with a hand on her hip.

_That's not our mother, Anna._ Charles thought to her.

Anna pursed her lips and gave a subtle nod to Charles. The two of them looked at their mother's body with narrowed eyes. Her expression changed into one of confusion when she took in their faces.

"What's the matter? Go on, back to bed the two of you."

After a tense, quiet moment, she smiled sweetly at them and leaned over until she was eye leveled with them, "How about I make you two some hot chocolate? Hm? How does that sound?"

"Who are you?" Anna questioned with narrowed eyes, "And what have you done to our mother?"

'_Our mother has never set foot in this kitchen in her life. And she certainly never made us hot chocolate. Unless you count ordering the maid to do it.' _

Their mother grasped her head in confusion when she heard Charles' voice inside her head. With every step Charles took toward her, she took a step back.

'_Again; who are you?_' Anna thought to the person in disguise.

In place of the blonde woman, stood a red haired and blue skinned girl. She had yellow eyes and her skin had a scaly texture to it. She looked at the two children in front of her nervously. The Xavier children looked back in awe.

"You're not scared of me?" asked the girl.

"I always believed I couldn't be the only one in the world. The only person who was different—and here you are!" he said happily.

Anna punched his arm, "Hey! I could do things too! See!"

Instead of penetrating their minds with a thought of her own, she felt a tingle throughout her body. Charles and the girl jumped and looked at her in shock.

"What? What is it?"

"Y-you're not you!" Charles exclaimed.

"You're me!" The girl said in awe and walked up to Anna.

Anna looked down to her body and saw that she was, in fact, like the girl. Her skin was the same exact blue scaly texture.

"Wicked!" she cheered.

"Can you change back?" Charles asked.

She clenched her eyes and concentrated on the image of her own body. After a moment of the tingling feeling, she opened her eyes when she heard the two of them gasp.

"That is so cool!" gushed the girl.

"I'm Charles Xavier," he said, "And this is my sister Anna."

"Raven."

"You're hungry and alone," stated Charles.

"Take whatever you want," Anna insisted, "You don't have to steal!"

"You never have to steal again," Charles said brightly.

That night, the three of them formed a bond. The Xavier children insisted that Raven stayed with them and she eagerly accepted. With her shape shifting abilities, Raven took on the appearance of light skin, blonde hair, and blue-gray eyes. With the help of Charles and Anna, they manipulated the minds of Kurt, their mother, and everyone in the mansion to believe that Raven was a Xavier. From then on out, Raven was a part of the family.

That's the way it's been for the last 18 years.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Sorry for the long wait! I'm going to apologize now for the lack of Erik in this chapter. I really want to show the relationship that the Xavier siblings have with Raven before diving into First Class.

I would also like to thank: Hwgenius, lovesalot123, Katniss, katniss12, and Draegan88 for reviewing!  
Also, thank you to those who favorited/followed this story! It really meant a lot and gave me a lot more confidence!

Please continue to review! I would like to hear your thoughts on this and any other issues!

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing!

* * *

"What a long, boring day."

The tired blonde sighed and fell against her queen-sized bed, snuggling against the coolness of the pillows. It was the end of an eight-hour shift at the restaurant she worked at while Charles and Anna went to Oxford. Raven cringed at the thought of the unappreciative customers, the unfair managers, and the crude comments from the male customers. At that moment, nothing felt better than falling into a deep sleep. Her food stained t-shirt was the last thing on her mind as she continued to lie in bed. She cherished the silence; for once, she was glad that she was the only one in the apartment. Her blue-gray eyes drifted close and her body relaxed against the softness of the bed.

She was enjoying the comfortable moment until someone knocked on the apartment door. If Raven had even attempted to open her eyes, she would definitely be rolling them.

'_Maybe they'll go away if they think no one is home_,' she thought.

The knocking stopped after a moment and the silence returned. Raven angled her body to a more suitable position before she closed her eyes once more. Her semi-ached body was finally relaxing once more when the knocking continued. She huffed in annoyance before she threw herself off the bed and stalked to the door of the apartment.

Raven wasn't afraid of who—or what—could be on the other side of the door; she could easily shift her body into a menacing figure to scare the knocker away. Out of habit—from Charles' constant scolding—she peered into the door's eyehole and rolled her eyes at the figure she saw.

"Raven!" the voice slurred, "Please! I forgot my keys . . . again!"

The door swung open to reveal a rosy-cheeked woman. The current state of her shoulder-length blonde hair was drastically different from its usual immaculate state. Her red lipstick was faint on her full lips, and her previously ironed red dress was crinkled and off-centered on her body. Black heels in hand, she looked up at Raven with hazy blue eyes and a crooked smile.

"Hey, Raven!" Anna threw her arms around the taller woman and sloppily kissed her on the cheek.

Due to her drunkenness, she accidentally smacked Raven's head with her heels. Raven grimaced at the girl.

"C'mon, Anna. Let's get you to bed, okay? Where did you go tonight, anyway?"

"I-I went to see Matthew," Anna pouted, "Of course, he already moved onto another girl-"

"—Forget about him!" spat Raven, "He was a jerk to you, Anna. Why do you go out with awful guys? I mean, sure, he's attractive, but he couldn't even pass his basic math class!"

Anna giggled when Raven dropped her onto the bed. She watched as Raven shuffled through the dresser drawers, muttering under her breath. After a quiet moment, she sighed and averted her eyes to the white ceiling.

"I'm so glad we met you," she said quietly.

"Yeah? And why's that?" Raven replied, only half listening to the girl.

"W-when our father died, it really messed us up. When we met you a few years later, it was like—it was life changing! We thought that we were the only one like us!" she exclaimed, "Plus, you looked _so _cool."

"No I didn't," scoffed Raven.

She turned around and held back a flinch when she saw the changes to Anna's physical appearance. Unaware of her actions, Anna's fair skin became a tint of dark blue before returning to its original color. Her pupils shifted from blue to yellow, and then blue once more.

"Yes! Yes you did—you looked amazing. I don't know why—why would you want to look like you do now? I mean, I understand your opinions and reasons . . . but why would you want to look like mother and I? We're . . . we're nothing special."

A tense silence followed the end of her sentence. The shape shifter felt her heart stop; she wasn't aware that Anna knew the real reason why she had picked the physical qualities that she did. The blonde hair was something that Sharon and Anna shared, and eight-year-old Raven wanted to feel like she was a part of the Xavier family. Her choice of blue-gray eyes was her own way of reminding herself that she _wasn't_ a Xavier. Blue eyes were something that the Xavier children had in common and thus, the gray was a distinguishing factor.

"How did you know that?"

"I'm sorry," Anna apologized, "Charles and I were practicing telepathy when we were younger and I read your mind. It was an accident, I swear! I meant to read Emily's mind, but I couldn't control it. I know Charles and I promised that we wouldn't read your mind, but that was the only time I did it."

Raven awkwardly nodded her head at Anna's confession. Varying emotions drifted in and out of her head.

"We love you, Raven. You know that, right?"

She propped herself up and stared at the younger girl with a fond smile. Despite the happiness she secretly felt, Raven rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah."

"No!" protested Anna, "I'm s-serious! You're like, the best sister a girl can ask for. I'm so glad you chose our house to steal food from. Y-you really helped us. In more ways than you can imagine. We truly and honestly love you."

Raven smiled appreciatively and ducked her head, "I love you guys too."

She left the room and closed the door behind her. Memories that she wanted to forget broke through the mental walls she built. Then suddenly, they were gone; happy memories of Charles and Anna replaced the horrible ones of her original family. Raven was beyond grateful for the Xavier children. They claimed that she helped them, but she always felt like they were doing the saving.

* * *

It was a typical Friday night; students were out celebrating the weekend. Anna pushed her way through the crowd, hastily crossed the street, and entered the busy pub. The pub was located near the university and was one of the more popular attractions for the students. Familiar faces greeted her when she entered; she, along with Charles and Raven, were regulars here. She was in her last year while Charles, now graduated, was in the process of writing a thesis on mutations.

Anna scanned the room and spotted Raven sitting alone with a dark expression on her face.

"Hey, sorry I'm late! Ran into Jason at the library and one thing led to another—what's with the face?"

Raven continued to glare at the scene in front of her with pursed lips. Her steady gaze fixated on Charles and a blonde woman at the bar. Anna immediately understood the situation at hand and looked away awkwardly. She removed her coat and draped it behind her chair.

"I'm not sure what I find more disgusting: watching my brother make a move on someone or seeing you jealous of that someone. Oh, I hope he's not using that mutation line again. He is so unoriginal. He made fun of me for using that line and now he won't stop using it!" Anna exclaimed and called over a waiter.

"I am not jealous!" spat Raven.

"_Right_, and I guess I'm not a mutant either," she rolled her eyes.

She ordered a pint of beer and laughed at Raven's expense when the waiter denied her request for one.

"Why can't you just tap into his brain? I could _really _use a drink right now."

"Because that would be illegal and morally wrong. Besides, Charles is here; he wouldn't let me hear the end of it."

The two continued to watch Charles and the woman interact. Due to their proximity to the bar, they were able to listen in on their conversation. Anna halfheartedly listened, but quickly tuned in when she heard Raven scoff.

" . . . It's a very groovy mutation. Mutation, right, took us from single-celled organisms to being the dominant form of reproductive life on this planet. Infinite forms of variation with each generation—all through mutation."

"So gross," Anna commented with a grimace, "Are we honestly watching this?"

"Then let's reclaim that word," the woman gave a charming smile to Charles.

Raven ignored the extra commentary from Anna—she preferred her own comments better—and rolled her eyes. She abruptly stood up from her seat and grabbed her bag from the back of her chair. Annoyance radiated from her body as she stalked to the bar with intent to interrupt the couple. Alone at the table, Anna could only watch the scene in front of her in amusement.

She watched as Charles' face changed into one of annoyance in a matter of seconds. He excused himself from the woman, paid for the bill, grabbed Raven, and gestured to Anna to follow.

"Put it on my tab, Johnny!" she called to the bartender and rushed out the door.

"_Mutant and proud_!" Raven mocked with a British accent, "Or is it only with pretty mutations—or invisible ones like yours and Anna's? Oh, but if you're a freak, you better hide!"

"Raven, you're being ridiculous."

"Am I, Charles? _Am I really_?"

"Just a tad," he cocked his head to the side, "Look, I don't mean to sound like an old fart—"

"—Which you are—" Anna interrupted from behind them.

"—Sometimes, thank you, Anna. We've talked about this. A small slip is one thing; a big one does not bear thinking about."

They watched as Charles continued his way to their apartment. Anna sighed as she scanned the taller blonde's dejected expression. She looped her arm around Raven's and tugged her toward the direction that Charles walked off to.

"That man can't remember if it's his wife's birthday or their anniversary," whispered Anna.

She pointed to a bald middle-aged man who walked to the right of them with a confused, thoughtful look on his face. Raven, still distraught, was confused.

"What?"

Anna pressed her pointer and middle fingers up to her left temple. She closed her eyes for a split second before opening them.

"That woman, over there? Found out that her boyfriend was cheating on her. Nice right hook, that one."

Raven smiled appreciatively at Anna; when they were younger, Anna would read stranger's minds to distract Raven from what she was thinking. Due to her mutant powers, Anna can mimic another's powers. Since she's very close to the two of them, and with a thorough explanation of how their powers work, Anna can easily use their powers as if they were her own.

"And that man . . ."

* * *

Rain fell from the dark, cloudy skies on the day of Charles' presentation. The three of them walked out of the presentation hall with high spirits.

"How does it feel to be a professor?" Raven grinned from under the umbrella she shared with Charles.

"Don't call me that."

"Yeah, Raven! He's jobless right now—geez, no need to rub it in!" Anna twirled around them, happily embracing the rainy weather. She jumped into a puddle and laughed when Charles yelped when water splashed his way.

"Oi, thanks for that!" he teasingly scowled at her.

"But professor suits you!" insisted Raven.

"Don't say that . . . Do say, 'Let's have a drink.'"

"Let's have a drink."

"Well? You heard the man!" cheered Anna, "Race ya here!"

She slugged Charles on the arm and took off toward the direction of the pub. The two of them watched in amusement and embarrassment as she stumbled, knocked over a group of students, and ran off.

"Wonderful. A real charmer that one," Charles mumbled, ignoring Raven's laughter.

* * *

Anna watched with an amused smile as Charles stood in the middle of the circle, drinking out of a long alcoholic cup. The circle of people that formed around him enthusiastically cheered him on. Once he was finished, Charles drunkenly stumbled off the chair and released a drunken yell. The girls laughed at him when he flashed them a smile.

"I'm so proud of you!" Raven cheered and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Thank you," he draped his arm over Raven's shoulders, "See, this is what I want, Anna. Someone who appreciates my accomplishments and—"

"—We need more drinks!" she interrupted.

"So?" Charles asked, "Why do I have to get it? Your legs look fine—"

"—Yeah, but you're the big brother!"

"You know, I'm starting to resent that title."

Despite his complaint, he turned and made his way to the bar. His lips curled up in a smirk when he noticed the girl from the other night leaning against the bar. He began to approach her when a woman walked up to him.

She had short, brunette hair and wore a black coat. Even in his drunken state, Charles immediately noticed the determined look she tried to hide. Her handshake was firm and she had an air of confidence about her. Although her smile was forced, it was friendly and approachable.

"Congratulations," she greeted.

He looked down at the long cup in his hand, "Thank you—It's much harder than it looks, actually."

The woman raised her brows and shook her head, "No, on your presentation. Very fascinating."

"You were at my presentation?" Charles smiled appreciatively, "How nice of you. Thank you very much . . ."

"Moira. Moira MacTaggert."

"Charles Xavier."

She scanned the pub before her brown eyes met his once more, "Do you have a minute?"

"Well, for a pretty little bean with a mutated MCR1 gene? I have five," He led her to an empty table, "I say 'MCR1,' you would say 'auburn hair'—It's a mutation. A very _groovy_ mutation, I might add. You see, Mutation took us from single-celled organisms to the dominant form—"

Moira waved her hand and interrupted him, "—Look, I'm sure this routine may go over great with the co-eds, but I'm here on business."

"What?" He was utterly confused.

"I _really _need your help; the kind of mutations that you talked about in your thesis. I need to know if they may have already happened in people today."

Charles took note of her suddenly serious voice and was intrigued. He unconsciously pressed his pointer and middle fingers up against his temple. Unbeknownst to her, he was reading her mind. At his silence, Moira grew annoyed.

"Professor? Maybe we should talk when you're sober," she said, "Do you have any time tomorrow?"

"Something tells me that you already know the answer to that," he replied in a low voice.

Moira looked away uncomfortably at the fact that her cover was blown.

"This is very important to me and if I can help you, I will do my utmost."

* * *

"You left to get us drinks, but came back with what—a CIA job?! Are you . . . high? I mean, no judgment here—"

The three of them were back at the apartment after Charles ushered them to leave. He was quiet on the way back and ignored their pestering questions. Once inside, he told them everything. Anna and Raven sat on the couch, watching as Charles walked back and forth in front of them.

Charles stopped and scowled, "No!"

"So what now?" asked Raven, looking between the two siblings.

'_Are we going to be away from each other?' _She thought.

"The woman—Moira—gave me instructions to leave by tomorrow morning. We have to attend this meeting with the CIA."

"We?" asked Raven.

"What? Of course! Why wouldn't you two come along? Who knows what the two of you would do without me—probably burn down the place."

* * *

**A/N**: I understand that there was some confusion from the last chapter about Anna's powers. Basically, as of right now (since she hasn't had any training), she can mimic the powers of those around her. Although she has this ability, she has to be able to understand how their powers work. She can't just use someone's power just by being in the same room as them. Since she grew up with Charles and Raven, she can use their powers as if they were her own. But just like them, her skills improve with training.

I know that it might seem like she could be invincible, in a sense, but certain actions/events can cause her to lose the ability to control the powers. This will hopefully be seen toward the end of this story.

And one last thing, I'm not too sure what Anna's X-Men name would be. If anyone can come up with something, please let me know!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I am completely lazy. That's my excuse. I have most of the chapter ideas planned out, but I had trouble writing them up. Here's a short chapter. Not much happens here, to be honest.

Reviews would be very awesome. And please, let me know if I had any spelling/grammar errors.

I also posted pictures of how Anna looks like on my profile, so go check that out.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing!

* * *

"Oh!" gasped Anna, "I think, I—I'm going to hurl!"

"What? Now? Here?"

She opened her mouth to answer Raven's question, but abruptly clamped her lips shut. Her blue eyes grew wide as the meal they ate a few hours ago began its way up her throat.

Raven cursed, "Do you remember where the toilets are?"

Her headache worsened as a pounding formed between her eyes. She forced herself to swallow the saliva that began to pool in her mouth—a sure sign of an ugly outcome. A frustrated sigh sounded from her lips when she failed, once again, to read the mind of a nearby agent.

"I-I can't. I don't feel good . . ."

Like many times before, Anna cursed her lack of ability to control her powers. For instance, when she was stuck on a problem or two on a test, or when an ex-fling approached her. Concentrating on someone's mind was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment. She grasped onto Raven's shoulder as the ship rocked heavily against the waves once more. Unable to handle it anymore, Anna rushed to the nearest door, flung it open, and vomited all over the cheesy, generic carpet.

It was a sight to see; Anna was situated on all fours, puking her brains out. Raven stood behind her, face scrunched up as she held in her breath and avoided looking at the scene in front of her.

"I think I should get an award for '_Best Sister_'," Raven grimaced as she held back Anna's hair.

More vomit and a few curses later, Anna wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She stood up with Raven's help and the two surveyed the scene in front of them.

"Maybe we should—" started Raven.

"—Yeah, we definitely should."

They swiftly exited the room and shut the door behind them. Anna breathed in the salty air and fell back into a siting position, and leaned against the adjacent wall. Raven rolled her eyes before she sat down beside her.

"_Why_ did you let me eat those pancakes," wailed Anna.

She pouted and slouched against the wall, resting her head on Raven's shoulders.

Raven scoffed, "You say that like you would actually stop eating."

"Fifteen pancakes, Raven! FIFTEEN! I did the impossible."

"Charles and I told you to stop after the fifth one—"

"—I can't believe you guys let me eat that much—"

"—Charles literally had to use his powers on the waitress to deny you pancakes—"

Anna wiped a fake tear from her eye, "—I can't trust you guys anymore!"

"Oh, shut up," Raven rolled her eyes, "You have vomit on your cheek by the way."

Anna narrowed her eyes at Raven distrustfully before she hastily wiped her face, "Okay. I trust you again—but I will _never _trust Charles!"

* * *

High pitched giggles and a grunt alerted Charles, Moira, and the other agents on of their arrival. They turned and half of them watched on with amused looks as the taller blonde dragged the smaller one up the flight of stairs to the deck. Rosy-cheeked and glazed eyes, everyone can see that Anna was out of it.

"What did you two do?" demanded Charles, "_Please _tell me you guys didn't drink."

"As if the had anything good—," Raven coughed awkwardly into her hand, "I mean . . . Well, you see, she was feeling sea sick . . ."

"_That was you_?!" an angry, dirty agent shouted angrily.

Charles sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. He was starting to regret bringing them along. A few hours in and they managed to get into some sort of trouble.

As they got older, the two girls became used to Charles' varying disappointed glares. The two of them quickly came up with a scale called, "_The Charles Xavier Glare-O-Meter_," which they regularly used to scale his disappointment toward them.

In this case, his pointed glare told Raven two things. One, it told her to continue. Two, it was a _six_ on the meter, which meant that he wasn't angry with them, but he'll definitely mention it again in private.

"Well, this agent—Anderson by the way—thought he gave her some medication for it, but the moron gave her a sleeping pill."

They turned to look at Anna who was now falling asleep against a struggling Raven. Moira looked at Charles, silently judging how he would handle the situation. Charles opened and closed his mouth, before sighing in annoyance.

"Bring her inside and let her sleep it off," he ordered and pointed to Raven, "And stay with her."

Raven narrowed her eyes, "_Okay_, dad."

With the help of a reluctant agent—ordered by Moira, of course—the two of them carried Anna inside one of the rooms. He dropped her like a sack of potatoes onto the couch and brushed past Raven, ignoring her heated glare.

"_Thanks_," she said sarcastically, "You're such a gentleman."

The agent's hand clenched against the metal handle of the door. He clenched his jaw and turned to look at her. The moonlight that shone through the glass windows casted a dark shadow on his face. Even in the darkness, Raven could see the different emotions that flashed across his face. An apologetic look that quickly became one of disdain.

"Look, I did what _MacTaggert_ wanted. I just can't see why we need the help of . . . _people like you_."

Raven stared at him with a blank expression. He took her silence as an end to the conversation and slammed the door shut behind him.

It wasn't the first time Raven encountered mutant hatred, but it was the first time it was directed toward her.

* * *

If he were the average person, Erik would've keeled over in embarrassment. Shaw was _literally_ right in front of him, and he made a foolish mistake. He boarded the yacht without a logical plan, which only resulted in his downfall.

He didn't know what he was thinking when he tried to stop the submarine from escaping. All he knew was that he wanted to kill him in anyway he can—even if it meant doing something as stupid as risking his own life.

Erik can vividly remember his eyes and lungs burning. His brain was shouting at him to let go, "_Let it go! Can't you feel that pain, you idiot? Live!_"

And as cliché as it sounded, his cold, bitter heart was the one that told him to hold on to that damn submarine. For every time his brain screamed at him, images of the concentration camp and the death of his mother would flash behind his eyes. It was enough motivation for him to hold on.

He was too busy analyzing his mistakes to notice the soft footsteps that approached him. Quiet murmurs left his lips and he shook his head in frustration. Unexpectedly, a glass of liquid was shoved in his face.

"I'm sorry," she said, "The variety of German beer was very limited here. It's scotch."

Their fingers brushed together momentarily before she sat down on the uncomfortable metal chair next to him. While her eyes were glued to the stars above them, Erik kept his eyes forward, staring at the pitch-black darkness that surrounded them. It was quiet between the two of them before she spoke up.

"I'm Anna by the way," she adjusted the blanket that draped over her shoulders, "Charles' sister."

"I thought the other blonde was his sister," he replied absentmindedly as he took a drink from the glass.

Erik noticed her slight falter before she nodded her head, "Raven's the youngest. Luckily for me, I'm the middle child."

"What," he said teasingly, "Mummy didn't pay enough attention to you?"

"Hm. Something like that."

When he didn't reply, Anna subtly looked at him. His dark brown hair was still wet and he wore an extra pair of clothing they found on the ship—all colored black, of course. His emotionless blue eyes and seemingly permanent scowl intrigued her. The faux relaxed posture could've fooled people, but he was obviously ready to face on any type of attack. Although he intimidated her, she was curious.

The low voices that woke her up a few moments ago came back. She bit her lip in annoyance when she realized that it was Erik's voice in the back of her mind.

"Your thoughts are very loud."

"Excuse me?"

He looked at her in confusion before he comprehended the words, "Let me guess; you and your brother share the same abilities."

A faint smile formed on her lips and her eyes were casted down at the wooden deck, "Pretty much. What's yours?"

She watched as he brought his hand toward her, the palm of his hand faced her and his long fingers were spread apart.

Nothing happened.

"Do you want a high-five?"

She squinted her eyes in confusion as she looked between his outstretched hand and his face.

'_Is this guy's power the ability to persuade people to give him a high-five? Why do I have a sudden urge to slap his hand?_'

He merely smiled at her before a loud screeching sound rang from behind her. She gasped and looked around wildly for the source.

The metal stool that sat on the other side of the deck was suddenly a few feet away from her. Anna whipped her head back to look at Erik—both were surprised she didn't get whiplash. With wide eyes and an enormous smile, she looked at him eagerly.

"How did you do that?" she breathed in amazement.

Erik took another drink of the scotch and placed it on the glass table between them. He looked down at his hand as he flexed his fingers.

"I can sense metal all around me," he said, "It's like a natural reflex. I don't even have to think about it.

"And I can just control it," he finished impassively.

He watched with concealed amusement as she scoffed and rolled her eyes at him.

"Tell me! Do you just say, like, '_Metal come here!_' and it happens?"

"No."

"Were you injected with metal and your body adapted to it, resulting in your metal abilities?"

"Yes."

"Really?!"

"No."

"How about an encounter with a . . . radioactive . . . metal . . . bug?"

"Are you serious?" His scowl sent her into a fit of giggles.

"Bathed in chemicals?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

As time went on, Anna's theories became even more ridiculous. Erik didn't know what to make of her. From her position on the chair—legs crossed in front of her and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders—she didn't look threatening. Blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail at the top of her head, and sleepy eyes, she looked . . . average.

'_She's definitely not like Charles_,' he thought, '_Charles . . . almost radiates with his ability. He has control_.'

"_Fine_. I didn't want to know anyway."

Despite her _very_ convincing statement, Erik watched as she stood up.

"I should head back to bed. Captain thinks we'll be docking in a few hours."

Anna shot him a small smile before turning to where the rooms were. She walked a few steps before tripping over the metal stool Erik had brought over while demonstrating his abilities. He shot up in alarm—not because she fell—but because she _moved_ the stool with a wave of her hand.

With his very own eyes, she saw as her hand shot out as she fell. The stool flew off to the other side of the deck before landing on its back.

Erik didn't catch her second goodbye, as his eyes were fixated on the stool. He blinked in shock, and sat back down, swallowing the rest of the scotch. A sinister smile formed on his lips. In the span of five minutes, Anna suddenly became _much_ more interesting.

Yes, Anna Xavier would be a great asset to his plans.


End file.
